How It Feels To Fly
Chapter 4: Guess Who's Coming To Dinner
"Are you sure you told him four o'clock, Contessa?" Mrs. Slater asked as she checked her watch for the third time.
"Yes Mrs. S I'm sure, it's only ten after maybe he got held up in traffic or maybe he decided not to come at all," Tessa said as she continued to set the table.
"Sissy I see Mark's truck!" Connor exclaimed running into the kitchen.
"Alright Connor would you like to let him in while I finish setting the table?" Tessa asked looking down at her brother.
"Yeah!" Connor said practically running out of the room.
"Wait up Connor I'll come with you," Mrs. Slater said following behind Connor.
Tessa ran her hands down the front of her powder blue sundress brushing away non-existent wrinkles. She didn't know why but she was nervous which was crazy because she had been around Mark many many times over the past few months, but this was different, he was going to be in her house eating her food…well Mrs. Slater's food but that wasn't the point.
"As I live and breathe," Tessa heard Mrs. Slater say from the living room.
"What is it Mrs. S?" Tessa asked entering the room.
"Tessa you didn't tell me that your bodyguard was The Undertaker," Mrs. Slater said still staring at Mark.
"You're an Undertaker?" Tessa asked looking at Mark with a totally confused look.
"Just in the ring," Mark said with a chuckle knowing that he had only confused Tessa more.
"Am I missing something here?" Tessa asked looking from Mark to Mrs. Slater and back again.
"Tessa your bodyguard used to be known as the Undertaker when he was a professional wrestler," Mrs. Slater said finally turning to look at Tessa.
"Professional wrestler? Well that explains a lot," Tessa said rolling her eyes at Mark, "how did you know who he was though Mrs. Slater?"
"Oh you know how my Stanley was a big wrestling fan well I would watch with him from time to time and I must admit this man standing right here was always my favorite, with Shawn Michaels a very close second," Mrs. Slater said turning back to wink at Mark.
"Well I'm flattered Ma'am…"
"Oh none of that ma'am nonsense I'm Edna Slater but everyone calls me Mrs. S so I suggest you do the same," Mrs. Slater said holding out her hand to Mark.
Mark shook the older woman's hand with a smile on his face. He liked this woman and from what Tessa had told him about her he had a feeling that dinner with her was going to be very interesting.
"Mark I want to personally thank you for keeping Contessa safe from all of those hooligans down there a that horrible place she calls her job," Mrs. Slater said as they sat down at the table to eat.
"I'm just glad I was there to help," Mark said looking up just in time to see the blush rising on Tessa's cheeks.
"Sissy is a dancer!" Courtney who hadn't spoken a word since Mark's arrival said finally injecting herself into the conversation.
"They know about where you work?" Mark asked shocked.
"Of course not!" Contessa replied.
"Then what does she mean you are a dancer?"
"You know silly a ballet dancer, she is really good she has troppies," Courtney said before running into the living room, "see?"
"Oh you mean trophies," Mark said smiling down at the girl.
"That's what I said, troppies!" Courtney said causing everyone to laugh.
"Alright Court time to eat go and put that back where it belongs please," Tessa said as she began serving up the Chicken and Dumplings.
"Smells delicious," Mark said when Tessa got around to dressing his plate.
"Yes, Mrs. S is an amazing cook if not for her we would probably starve," Tessa joked as she sat the dish on the table and sat down to eat.
Tessa noticed that Mrs. S, who normally took the chair across from her, was tonight sitting to her left with both kids to her right leaving the only available seat for Mark directly in front of her.
"Oh great now I have to spend the entire meal looking directly into those beautiful green eyes," Tessa thought as she glared over at Mrs. Slater who was trying to hide a grin and doing a terrible job at it.
"Connor would you like to say Grace tonight?"
"Okay," Connor said enthusiastically as he grabbed his sister's hands and bowed his head.
"Thank you lord for this yummy meal we have to eat tonight, thank you for making sissy come back from college to take care of us so we didn't have to go and live with the Fosters, thank you for Mrs. S, she is really cool and she lets Court and I help make cookies, and thank you for Mark he is big and strong and Mrs. S says he takes care of sissy, Amen." Connor said before lifting his head showing off the huge grin he had.
"Thank you Connor that was very good," Tessa said smiling at her little brother.
"All right troops dig in," Mrs. Slater said as she picked up her fork and began to eat.
After a few minutes Mark looked up to realize Tessa wasn't eating but simply moving food around on her plate.
"You know it works better if you actually eat it," he teased.
"Guess I'm not very hungry," Tessa lied. She was in fact very hungry but with her stomach doing nonstop somersaults there was no way she was attempting to put a morsel of food into her mouth as long as Mark was around.
She had been trying to convince herself that she wasn't interested in Mark "that way" but lately every time the man was around her palms got all sweaty and she became a nervous wreck.
"You need to eat Tessa, I bet you haven't had a thing since breakfast," Mrs. Slater said.
"I know but it was a big breakfast," Tessa lied again. She had only eaten half of an English muffin and a glass of orange juice, but neither Mrs. Slater nor Mark needed to know that.
"Just try to eat a little, dear, before you become all skin and bones and let me tell you no man likes a woman with no meat on her, isn't that right Mark?" Mrs. Slater asked winking at Mark.
"MRS.S!" Tessa scoffed.
"Well it's true!"
"It is true, Tessa, I mean personally speaking skinny women do nothing for me," Mark said and laughed at the horrified look that covered Tessa's face.
"This conversation is totally inappropriate for the dinner table and definitely so in front of children!" Tessa said now blushing uncontrollably.
"Maybe it's something you and Mark can discuss later on in private," Mrs. Slater said.
"Mrs. S don't make me send you home without dessert," Tessa bite out through clenched teeth.
"What did I say?" Mrs. Slater asked with a shrug causing Mark to laugh.
"I see nothing about this funny," Tessa said glaring at Mark.
"Oh well that's too bad because I certainly find it to be very funny. You should see your face you're as red a fresh picked berry," Mark told her still laughing.
"Sissy why are you looking at Mark that way?" Connor asked.
"What way buddy?"
"Like you want to hit him," Courtney said.
"I'm not looking at him that way," Tessa said answering the twins.
"Yeah you kind of are darlin' but it's okay you may look like you want to hit me but I know what you really want to do to me," Mark said winking at Tessa.
The rest of dinner was pretty uneventful. Tessa gave the kids a helping of sweet potato casserole and then sent them into their rooms to play while the grown-ups sat and had coffee. Tessa had assumed Mark would leave after the first cup but here he was still sitting on her couch taking up way to much space and on his third cup of coffee.
"Well this old woman is beat! I am going home to relax in my late husband's big old recliner and rest my weary bones," Mrs. Slater said standing. "No please don't get up you two enjoy the rest of your evening," she said as both Tessa and Mark moved to stand.
"Oh I'm sure Mark has better things to do than sit around here with me, don't you Mark?"
"Actually I have nothing better to do at all," Mark said once again getting comfortable on the couch.
Mark knew that he should leave but he really didn't want to. He was enjoying being in Tessa's company even if it was mainly to rattle her. He had watched her all throughout dinner and realized that she had an unmistakable blush just about every time she looked up at him.
He realized half way through his second helping of sweet potato casserole just how young and beautiful Tessa actually was and not for the first time wondered what a girl like her was doing working in a sleazy dump like Harpers.
"See Tessa now sit down and relax I know my way out. Goodnight Mark, it was very nice meeting you."
"It was nice meeting you too Mrs. S we will have to do this again real soon," Mark said standing to take the woman's hand in his shaking it.
"Over my dead body," Tessa muttered.
"What was that dear?"
"Nothing Mrs. S, have a good night," Tessa said as she walked Mrs. Slater to the door.
"He's a hunk, Contessa, and the kids like him I say go for it!" Mrs. Slater whispered as she and Tessa hugged.
"What makes you think I'm interested?" Tessa asked.
"You're a woman aren't you?" Mrs. Slater asked grinning at Tessa before walking out the door.
"I like her she's got spunk," Mark said as Tessa rejoined him.
"I'll be glad to let her know that," Tessa said dryly hoping that her aloofness would make Mark want to leave.
"So Tessa how about another cup of Joe?" Mark asked with a smile.
"You've had three cup I know you couldn't seriously want more," Tessa said looking over at Mark.
"You're right I don't want more coffee but without a reason to stay you'll be expecting me to get up and go and honestly I'm not ready to leave yet," Mark answered.
"But why would you want to stay?" Tessa asked in dismay.
"I was thinking we could talk and get to know each other a little better."
"I don't want to get to know you," Tessa said harshly.
"Well that's too bad because I want to get to know you and I will tell you right now the longer you refuse to talk the longer I will keep my butt plastered to this chair," Mark said with a finality that Tessa knew not to test.
"Fine, you get three questions and no more and when I've answered them all you will be on your way. I do have twins to get ready for bed you know," Tessa said with a sigh before sitting back on the sofa.
"Deal," Mark said before sitting back on the couch opposite Tessa.
"What is your first question?" Tessa asked Mark as she crossed her bare legs at the ankle.
"How long have you been a dancer?"
"You mean at Harpers?"
"Yes that and ballet," Mark said watching her as she fumbled with her fingers in her lap.
Mark knew he made her nervous, it was obvious from the way she had been acting since he stepped foot into the house. Having him follow her around at work was one thing but having him in her home had to have been weird for her. He thought about leaving but something wouldn't let him. He wanted to be around Tessa he wanted to know about her and seeing that she had agreed to answer three of his questions he figured he better make them good ones.
"Well I started ballet and contemporary dancing when I was three years old and have been doing it off and on since then. I wanted to major in dance at University but my mother told me that it wasn't practical and would never get me anywhere so I took up Business Management and Accounting instead both of which I am very good at by the way. Any way two months ago, half way through junior year, I get a call from my mom who got herself into some legal trouble and so I dropped out of TSU and came back here. I needed money fast and so I ended up at Harper's," Tessa said with a shrug.
"You didn't have any other family that could have taken the kids while you finished up school?"
"Nope! Well mom has a brother but he lives in Canada. I have only met him once and that was at my grandmother's funeral when I was six he has never even met the twins, he and my mother had a falling out when they were younger and he has never really wanted to see her or any of us."
"But surely he would have taken Connor and Courtney if you'd have asked," Mark said not believing that a little spat would have a man turn his back on his family.
"Momma called and left messages but he never called back I guess whatever those two fought about all those years ago really made him hate her and I guess he hates us by association."
"Do you plan on going back to school when your mother comes home?"
"I don't know, I mean obviously I would love to go back and finish up my degrees but I was on full scholarship before so if I can't get financial aid then I'm screwed but I can't even think about that now because for the moment I am all Connor and Courtney have and I will do whatever it takes to provide for them including shaking my ass at Harpers," Tessa said looking Mark square in the eyes.
"You do a great job taking care of Connor and Courtney no one can ever say that you don't I just think that only bad things can happen in that place," Mark said honestly.
"But I have you know and the way you go around barking at people I'm safe," Tessa said smiling at Mark.
"I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe Tessa, don't doubt that," Mark said all hints of playfulness over.
"Thank you Mark, now I've answered your questions…"
"And as per our deal I will leave," Mark said standing.
"Thank you for coming over for dinner you made Mrs. S a very happy lady today," Tessa teased as she walked Mark to the door.
"I enjoyed it," Mark said stopping at the door and looking down at Tessa.
What was that look in Marks eye Tessa wasn't sure but the way he was looking at her had her stomach doing somersaults again.
"I enjoyed it too," Tessa answered all of a sudden breathless.
Before Tessa knew what was happening Mark's lips brushed against hers and her heart stopped.
"Have dinner with me tomorrow," Mark asked Tessa once he broke the brief but electrifying kiss.
"I work tomorrow," Tessa finally answered.
"I'll pick you up and we can grab something before you go in."
"I don't know Mark."
"Well sleep on it and just in case your answer is "yes" I'll come by around six, goodnight Tessa," Mark said bending to kiss Tessa one more time before leaving.
"Goodnight Mark," Tessa said as she watched him leave.
"My lord now I know why that man was called the Undertaker, that kiss just about killed me," Tessa said as she leaned against the closed door touching her fingertips to her tingling lips.